Kids in Wake Forest will get to climb into a military Humvee and a police boat later this month, as the Wake Forest Police Department returns to The Factory on Saturday, August 29, for its annual Touch-A-Truck fundraiser. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will benefit Special Olympics North Carolina, with families able to get hands-on with police cars, fire trucks, a helicopter, concrete trucks and more.
According to a post from the Wake Forest Police Department on Facebook, all proceeds from the event go directly to Special Olympics NC. Admission is set at $5 per person or $20 per family, regardless of family size. The Town of Wake Forest's own announcement, published August 13, confirms the 2026 lineup will include specialized emergency and municipal equipment — a police boat and military Humvee among them — alongside the concrete trucks, fire engines and helicopters families have come to expect from past showcases.
Food, Ice Cream and Torch Run Gear
Beyond the vehicles, the department will sell burgers and hot dogs on-site, while Two Roosters Ice Cream will be on hand slinging sweet treats. The Raleigh-founded shop, known for its inventive flavors, opened its storefront inside The Factory complex in August 2023 as part of the venue's expansion into local food and beverage offerings, according to Discover Wake Forest.
Officers will also be selling 2026 Special Olympics NC Torch Run merchandise, with t-shirts going for $20 and hats for $25. Those sales tie directly into the Law Enforcement Torch Run, a movement that engages more than 2,500 law enforcement officials across over 200 state and local agencies each spring in a month-long, 2,000-mile relay to carry the Flame of Hope to the opening of the state Summer Games, according to Special Olympics North Carolina.
A Statewide Fundraising Engine
The Torch Run stands as the single largest grassroots fundraising and public awareness mechanism for the organization, generating over $1.3 million annually, per Special Olympics North Carolina. That money supports a program that serves nearly 53,000 registered athletes and Unified partners across the state, offering year-round training and competition in 20 Olympic-type sports, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Wake Forest officers have taken part in other statewide fundraisers throughout the year as well, including the statewide Tip-A-Cop event held each July at Texas Roadhouse locations, where officers bus tables and collect tips from diners on their own time. Special Olympics North Carolina's fall calendar also includes its marquee Over The Edge fundraiser, scheduled for September 26 in downtown Raleigh, where participants who raise at least $1,000 rappel 17 stories down One City Plaza.
Accessibility Built Into the Event
For attendees who may find the noise and crowds overwhelming, SPIRIT Wake Forest will provide sensory bags stocked with noise-canceling headphones, fidgets, sunglasses and communication cards. The initiative operates under the Town of Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department as part of its adaptive recreation programming, intended to help ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone at the event.
The Factory itself has become something of a hub for this kind of community gathering. The 210,000-square-foot sports and recreation complex was converted in 2004 from the former Athey Products industrial plant, and it was acquired by local Wake Forest investors in March 2026, according to Wake Forest Economic Development. The site now houses ice rinks, turf fields and local retail space at 1839 S. Main St.
This marks the department's latest turn hosting the fundraiser, following last year's Touch-A-Truck event at the same venue and the department's Tip-A-Cop shift at Texas Roadhouse in September 2025. Residents with questions about the event or other community outreach can reach the Wake Forest Police Department's non-emergency line at 919-554-6150.
